Jabez
by Volvochick
Summary: Just a TDI oneshot that came to me about midnight. Can't say to much in the summery without giving away the whole plot. And I suck at summeries. XP I am terribly sorry if the any of the characters are OOC.


Title: Jabez

Summary: Just another TDI one-shot that came to me at around midnight. I think I had just finished reading Jacqueline229's "Crossing the Line" fanfic. I lost the original story so I had to rewrite it. Back on topic, can't say much for a summery, if I do, it would give the whole story away! And i am terrbily sorry if any of the characters are OOC.

A hard rainfall pounded the streets ruthlessly as large, important-like figures walked by a desolate, worn down store. Umbrellas and newspapers covered their prim and proper haircuts from the fat droplets of water. Warm and thick leather soles of shoes and boots alike protected their feet from freezing as they sometimes carelessly walked through many a puddle. Many glanced distastefully at the young woman, who most guessed to be around the age of eighteen, who was dressed in rags and clutching a bundle in her arms. This was a girl whose name had once been known throughout Canada but was now as forgotten as the sun that had risen that morning. She had once been the contestant of whom some had thought to be one of the best reality shows of all time, Total Drama Island. She was the eleventh voted off, Courtney Samuels.

Her brown hair that had once been thick and bouncy now was in desperate need of a wash as it hung limp in lifeless wet and oily strands plastered to her tear stained face. Grey eyes that had once held humour and sarcasm were bloodshot and dull with lack of sleep and sorrow. A normal dark olive complexion was in also in need of some soap as it was now the color of dried on mud and somewhere, underneath all those layers of dirt, her skin was a dry red, somewhat seen from the clear paths of tears. A tattered jacket that seemed too large for her hung off her shoulders, making her look much skinnier than what she really was. The only thing that was protecting her from the pouring rain was a dirty yellow eavesdrop, and with it being covered in holes, wasn't offering to much of that protection. The only piece of material that lay dry was a patched and dirty roll of green blankets. Courtney was making sure that no matter how sick she got, that the bundle was safe and dry from the water.

Courtney glanced up to see a couple that looked to be around her age walk by. Both the boy and the girl walked underneath a blue poke-a-dotted umbrella, their arms linked together tightly and expressions of glee on their faces. She couldn't help blink twice shocked though when they both stopped just feet away from where she was sitting helplessly. They spoke to the other in hushed, unheard whispers. The young man turned to Courtney, his face surprising her, it looked so familiar, piercings and all. But it couldn't be him; he had left her weeks ago. He looked sadly at the girl beside him as he handed her the umbrella and took a cautious step toward Courtney was. But before he could go farther, his wrist was abruptly grasped, his companions head shaking, blonde hair flying. Together, they walked off again, away from the sight.

Gazing downwards, Courtney pulled the bundle closer to her breast. She remembered once being able to act like those people. To feel what they were currently experiencing: love. It had once been with a very special boy too. She would not have met him if it wasn't for the fact that they had both auditioned for the show. Her feelings of dislike slowly changed to acceptance and then to admiration before finally landing on love. It had been an odd pairing in many views, her with a good track record from her teachers and him with a juvie record five miles long. He had had the strangest look of all as well; his black hair and green mohawk while wearing a spiked collar and piercings galore easily declared him a rebel. But it had been the delinquent's eyes that had captured Courtney's attention before long. They were a greyish-blue; the color the sky looked just before and after a storm, earning the name stormy blue from her, oh how she had loved Duncan Kelly's eyes.

Courtney had never been sure why he had chosen this time of her life to abandon her, a time where she was in need him most of all. She wasn't sure why he had, but she did know how it had all started and could have been easily avoided. And to think, all that had caused it had been a simple graduation party. Both of them had successfully finished their final year in high school. Courtney having considerably higher marks than Duncan of course. They had both acted like normal teen turned adult's and had decided to join the bash. But after at least an hour or two of parting, no one remembered what had happened next, only a couple of drinks had suddenly token its toll as if seven were drunk. All they both remembered was waking up next to each other, chunks of what looked like vomit covering them both head to foot.

A couple of weeks later, she became violently ill. She found herself being woken up at around 5 in the morning just to run to the bathroom. She wasn't able to keep anything down, any type of food or water always managed to find their way up within an hour. Courtney had been pleased when Duncan had begun to stop by everyday for hours at a time. It had only been every so often earlier as her mother had told him that her flu's only lasted for two to three days. Visits turned into every hour on the hour though when she had finished a week with no signs what so ever of letting up. Her friends had stopped by every couple of days but no one was allowed to stay in the same room with her for more then fifteen minutes, they were scared that they might catch her virus. But after the never ending nagging of both Courtney and Duncan, her mother had finally consented to bring her to the hospital to see a doctor. Her mother had never trusted doctors ever since they had declared that nothing was wrong with her father but died of cancer not even a week later. But once at the city's hospital, her worst fears were confirmed.

She had arrived home to see Duncan standing by the front door as he waited for their arrival. He had run to help her out of the car as she had not been able to stand for some time because of both shock and malnutrition. Once inside the porch out back, Courtney told him about what the doctor had said. He hadn't believed her at first, he told her to go and get another test done to see if the doctors had been correct. She explained that they had to be, her problem was matching the symptoms that she was experiencing. Finally, with much convincing, he believed her. Excuses had turned up soon afterwards. He swore that someone must have spiked the drinks at the party and told her over and over again that he was sorry. She believed him. He would have never wanted to put her through this if he could. She had told him that though both of them were at fault, it was a mistake that anyone could have made.

Sadly, her mother had not felt the same about Duncan. Courtney never remembered seeing her mom as angry as she was then. She had a strange feeling that even if the neighbours somehow didn't here this, they would most certainly feel the vibrations. Her mother yelled at her, telling her to break up with her no-good delinquent boyfriend, she could tell that he would cause trouble from the start, but she had never been anticipating something as big as this. And after she broke his heart, if he even had one that is, she was to go straight back to the doctors and get her mistake fixed. Her daughter had refused, saying she was as much in fault as this as Duncan, she loved him too much to do this to him. They were in this together. She had watched her mothers face grow ashen with shock and flatly comment that if they were in this together, then they most certainly didn't need her. She told her child that she has a week to get of her house, she was not about to give home to a mistake, after that, in a voice that sent chills up and down Courtney's spine, she had no responsibility of what was to happen to them, Courtney was no child of hers anymore, she had no daughter. She turned around and slammed the door behind her as she exited the room, her body shaking with with-held fury.

Knees shaking, Courtney had run up the stairs to her room and fell on her, no not hers any longer; the bed before she could land on the thin carpeted floor. She turned to her side, tears welling up, as she picking up the small silver phone by the bed. She shakily dialled eleven numbers, her mother had warned her not to call long distance, if she did the money would come out of her own pocket. That didn't matter now; she had no mother and her mother no daughter so she was allowed to skip out on the payment. She heard what felt like a million years worth of ringing before a small hello finally answered the phone. Courtney immediately burst into tears as she told Bridgette what was happening, from the when the accident was first caused to what had just happened only minutes ago. Through choked sobs, she heard her friend tell her that no matter what happens, she would always have a friend to talk to and if it was really needed, a place to live.

A loud rumble of thunder brought Courtney back from her sad memories at the back of her mind to reality. She shivered from the damp coolness of the strong wind; her thin and worn jacket wasn't giving much in the need of protection. She struggled to make herself warmer while making sure not to let a single drop of water fall onto her blanket bundle. It was of no use, she had probably actually been warmer in her previous position.

One thing angered her more than the rain and cold though, why had Duncan decided to abandon her a few weeks ago. Why leave her sad and wet on this cold and desolate street while he was probably warmer, and not to mention a lot drier. Courtney felt small, crystal like tears form up in the corner of her eyes and make a thin trail down her cheek, contrasting red between a crusty brown. Oh how she hated him now! She hated Duncan for leaving her like this. She wiped her cheek furiously, she cheek suddenly a brownish blur. She should have listened to her mother and never have forgiven him.

Nonetheless, she remembered a time when she had loved him stronger than any other time in her life. They had finally found a house, a house with peeling wallpaper, practically no electricity and running water, and heat was only a dream in this household, but it was still a place they could call their own. And honestly, anything was better than living in the basement of your boyfriend's parent's house. They had been just as disappointed in the both of them as Courtney's mother had, but they had at least allowed her to stay with them until they had found a house. They had so far shown more sympathy and generosity than her mother had, even though Duncan never spoke to them unless he absolutely had to.

That had been almost seven months ago. Duncan had done everything he could just to provide and make her happy. He had even gone into the job he had sworn never to enter. Just to make her happy, he had gone on to become a cop. And because his whole entire family at been in the force at one time or another, he had proceeded farther and faster along his training than the other men and women there. She recalled the day he had passed his training. His forehead and hair had been glistening with sweat from a hard day's training and his eyes, his gorgeous storm-blue eyes, were tired but shown with pride that made the room seem less shabby. Despite her extra weight, he had lifted her clean off her feet and spun her around with muscles gained from hours of hard work. Courtney had screeched in surprised pleasure before she had felt a strong pair of lips crash firmly on hers. Her arms mysteriously found their way wrapped around his neck as he placed her gently on the floor, any longer and he would have dropped her to the ground. She had never seen him so proud in his life than he had that moment.

That was the last time she had ever seen Duncan so happy.

It had happened two months later, he had left her for good, never to come back and join her. They both had known that the date was drawing nearer and were scared to pick up the phone. Duncan finally did after the eleventh ring, it was clear that they weren't going to hang up any time soon. She watched his face pale and a frown cross his features, excuses of every kind were heard coming from mouth before he had finally sighed in defeat and hung up the phone. He explained to Courtney that there was a raid a little south of the city and apologized, promising that he would see her later. It was a promise that was never kept.

Around an hour later, she was rushed to the hospital where through at least two hours of extreme pain she did it. He gave birth to a gorgeous baby boy. Tears of joy filled Courtney's bright, shining grey eyes, they were not yet dim with the loss, as she held him. Courtney and Duncan's son opened his eyes to show the color of storm clouds, his father's eyes. She gently kissed his peach fuzzed forehead as the radio that was placed next to her was turned on by a nurse passing through. There she heard it, the sentence that broke apart like shards of glass the happiest and proudest moment in her life as she felt them stab at her in her heart. After the raid had ended, a gun had accidentally been fired, hitting Duncan in the lung, it killed him instantly.

Courtney's tears of joy soon turned to heart-wrenching sobs. He had decided to leave her while she was in labour, leaving her to be a single mother. She couldn't believe it as she held the only thing that was real to her anymore tighter. She had always first thought that she had gotten off easily. The other girls that she had known had this problem had had it earlier in their life, dropping out of school never to get an education. She at least had top honours in every subject, able to go to any collage she chose later in life. That was gone now; she would never be able to have that.

She blinked when she heard a high pitched squeal coming from the blankets that she held. She immediately looked down and carefully unwrapped the patched blankets from around her son. His blue eyes were shut tight in a long cry of hunger. His head was currently showing light wisps of chestnut coloured hair that was slicked back with sweat and the small amounts of rain water that had actually been able to hit him. Courtney was finally able to calm him down with some slow rocking and a few well-known lullabies.

With her son finally asleep, she dug through her pockets, hoping to find what she thought was there. To her relief, she fingered the cold round metal but did not shiver despite the cold. Slowly she stood up and walked what felt like miles to the phone booth that was only a block away. Careful not to wake up her babe, she stepped inside and sighed with the warmth and dryness that had not yet left the booth. With numb brown fingers, she pushed the golden dollar coin into the slot and pushed a few well chosen numbers. Even though she was not the religious type, she prayed that someone would pick up.

"Hello."

"Hey Bridge. It's Courtney. I-I-I was wondering if that offer for a home was still available."

Her son may grow up without a father, but she was not, no way in hell, going to let 3-week old Jabez go without a roof over his head.

Muhahahaha! There. It's done. And if some of you have been holding a knife up to my trout, it disappeared only for a minute to come back with even more vengeance for killing off Duncan, I am so evil. And yes I do know that you are all waiting for the next update on Rocky Waves but I had hit a dead end for a bit. And if some of you are confused on why this story was so vague, that's the way it was meant to be. I didn't want you to know that Duncan had died on Courtney, and if you thought that he had left her for that blonde-bimbo earlier in the story, than my trick worked! And if you figured out that Courtney was pregnant at the start and the bundle held a baby than either good for you or I made it too obvious. And I if anyone is interested, I am looking for someone to beta-read my stories for me. I have a huge problem with spelling and punctuation mistakes and not noticing them. I will be sending them a little bit of each story everyday and they will be allowed to but in suggestions for what may also happen if they wish. Some of you may jump at a chance like this, but if you know the story is out, then reading it won't quite be as interesting because you already know what has happened and how it goes.

And to hopefully quicken up my updates, I have started a hobby that has me write down a page of each story everyday, no more, no less. And for some of you that think that this is not to great, it is for me. I'm not great with updating. It will help me in the long run. That means that I could have a ten page story in my notebook up in ten or eleven days, depending on what time I finish it, rather than a month.

I should probably shut my mouth now eh? Hehe. ; Sorry about the rambling.

And one quick note, real quick I promise, if you google the name Jabez, you will find out that it means pain and sorrow, which is what the whole story is based on.


End file.
